The purpose of this study was to investigate brain activation pattern and functional connectivity network during classification on the biological phenomena. Twenty six right-handed healthy science teachers volunteered to be in the present study. To investigate participants' brain activities during the tasks, 3.0T fMRI system with the block experimental-design was used to measure BOLD signals of their brain. According to the analyzed data, superior, middle and inferior frontal gyrus, superior and inferior parietal lobule, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, and bilateral cerebellum were significantly activated during participants' carrying-out classification. The network model was consisting of six nodes (ROIs) and its fourteen connections. These results suggested the notion that the activation and connections of these regions mean that classification is consist of two sub-network systems (top-down and bottom-up related) and it functioning reciprocally. These results enable the examination of the scientific classification process from the cognitive neuroscience perspective, and may be used as basic materials for developing a teaching-learning program for scientific classification such as brain-based science education curriculum in the science classrooms.

This study was conducted to examine 10 Belizean teachers' conceptions about the causes of seasonal change. This research was conducted with an integrated method using a open ended written test and an interview which included a drawing. There are four categories, explained by the teachers, as the causes of seasonal changes. They are; climate, rotation of the earth on its axis, revolution of the earth around the sun, and the tilting of earth's axis as it revolves. Most teachers misunderstood that the first of three categories was responsible for seasonal change. Second, it is more effective to use the integrated method shown in this research than to use only a written test when seriously investigating the causes and understanding of seasonal change. Third, 8 out of 10 teachers could not correctly explain the causes of seasonal change. The reasons for seasonal change seemed to be hard for the informants to understand even though it was taught in elementary, middle, high school, and college elective classes.

The researchers who are studying biology and teachers who are teaching biology think that the genetics-related concepts are highly significant than other concepts in biology. With such background, researches on the identification of major concepts have been under way to guide in biology class. Minimal research has been carried out, however, on what concepts should be taught to achieve the specific objectives of the class in relation to the unit of genetics in middle and high school. Accordingly this study was designed to determine the concepts of genetics that should be taught to achieve the objectives of the genetics unit in secondary school. For this purpose 5 instructional objectives of the genetics unit on the 9th grade and 4 instructional objectives of Biology I were selected and the concepts that were taught to achieve class objectives. The survey was conducted among 114 science teachers from middle schools and 85 biology teachers from high schools. The results indicated that 9.1 and 10.2 concepts on average were taught in the 9th grade and in Biology I respectively. Moreover statistical difference in the number of concepts that were taught according to the teachers' teaching experiences appeared among the middle school teachers (p.05). Furthermore the concepts for the 9th grade consist of the basic genetics concepts although Biology I concepts were integrated and advanced contents for same concepts. Thus this finding suggests that concepts of genetics units to be taught in middle and high school were in linkage.

This study was conducted to examine my hypothesis that how teacher's teaching style influences emotional and physiological states of students in the secondary school science classroom. Sixty healthy secondary school students were participated in this study and divided into two groups: manipulation and non-manipulation. Each group underwent different styles of teaching on the scientific hypothesis-generating of com starch experiment. Before and after the class, the strength of emotion was measured using adjective emoticon check lists and they extracted their saliva sample for salivary hormone analysis. Here are the results of this study. First, the intensity of positive emotions in the manipulation group was significantly stronger than the one in the non-manipulation group, whereas the intensity of negative emotions in the non-manipulation group was significantly stronger than the one in the manipulation group. Second, the cortisol level, an indicator of stress, was decreased in the manipulation group whereas it was increased in non-manipulation group. Third, the quality of scientific hypotheses which is generated by students during the class had no connection with types of instructions. Fourth, this study found significantly negative correlation between students' emotional intensity of interest and concentration changes of salivary cortisol. Therefore, the different teaching styles have influence upon students' attitude and interest in science.